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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28306899">Elf-On-The-Shelf Trouble</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyOfManyFandoms/pseuds/TheLadyOfManyFandoms'>TheLadyOfManyFandoms</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Holiday Special, Humour</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 15:07:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,933</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28306899</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLadyOfManyFandoms/pseuds/TheLadyOfManyFandoms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Something unnatural enters the bunker - unnatural and Christmas-y.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Reader, Dean Winchester/Reader, Jack Kline/Reader, Sam Wincheter/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Elf-On-The-Shelf Trouble</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Holidays, my loves!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a quieter week for hunting almost as if the monsters had taken the holidays seriously. This gave you and the boys time to yourselves to properly enjoy the time off. It was two days before Christmas and you wanted to take advantage of the spirit.</p><p>Sam had taken Jack into town for a grocery run in which you had requested a few extra ingredients to create a nice holiday feast while Dean and Castiel were in the library clearing up the spare decorations.</p><p>In the kitchen, you pushed your sleeves up and began to strategise how you were going to tackle the challenge. You stooped down and opened up the cabinet to retrieve your cookbook. Well, it started as ‘your’ cookbook but overtime, Sam and Dean added to it until it was just a mashup of the Kitchen’s Greatest Hits. </p><p>You gathered the ingredients for gingerbread and eggnog only stopping briefly when Dean walked in, dusting his hands of ornament glitter.</p><p>“The library is clean as a whistle and Cas is heading out for more of your tinsel crap.” He approached the bench with the bottle of rum. You turned around to pick up a spoon and smiled at the jab.</p><p>“Calm down, Scrooge. It’s festive.” You replied and then sighed. “All we’re missing is a star for the top.”</p><p>“We could just stick Cas on there instead.”</p><p>The thought of Castiel perched at the top of the tree with his trench coat made you laugh which infected Dean until you were both in stitches.</p><p>The pair of you had just started folding base ingredients together when Sam and Jack announced their arrival, finding their fellow hunters in the kitchen. They carried in the grocery bags and set them on the table, Sam starting to unpack while Jack approached you with a grin.</p><p>“Hey.” You greeted. He was curiously happy and it made you smile.</p><p>“I met a nice old lady in town today and she gave me something that I think you’ll like.” Jack told you while you caught the small bottle of nutmeg powder that Sam had tossed over.</p><p>Unscrewing the bottle, you tilted your head. “I do love surprises.”</p><p>As the words flew out of your mouth, in your face, was a doll dressed in a white-collared red stocking, blue eyes staring to the side, a smile completed by its rosy cheeks.</p><p>You almost jumped back when you saw it. In a world of demons, ghouls, wraiths - no real monster creeped you out more than the elf on the shelf and Jack had brought one home as a gift for you.</p><p>“Oh...!” You didn’t really know what to say so you gave a small nervous laugh, taking the doll in your hands. “Jack, this is so... sweet...”</p><p>The nephilim beamed. He had never given a gift before and Sam was right - it filled him up with so much happiness.</p><p>“You like it?” He asked and you replicated the smile.</p><p>“Of course, I do. Hey, why don’t you set this little guy down, go upstairs and get changed and come back to help me with these cookies?” You suggested quickly.</p><p>Jack cast his eyes down at the bench stop filled with various ingredients and was overtaken with excitement to learn how to make gingerbread. “Okay.”</p><p>He set the elf to sit upright on the kitchen table before disappearing to change into more comfortable clothes. You waved the young boy off and then cast a beady look at the toy, not noticing Sam’s smirk.</p><p>“Wow. For someone who enjoys the holiday spirit, you really hate the Elf-On-The-Shelf.” He chuckled and you shook your head, eyes still fixated on the small object.</p><p>“He looks like he knows something.” You said suspiciously. “And why is he always smiling?”</p><p>Sam chuckled and then mentioned wanting to go for a walk. You m nodded and let him leave just as Jack returned with a bright grin and rolled up sleeves. “How can I help?”</p><p>You had a plan laid out for him but it turned on its head when Dean ‘donated’ his bowl of dough to the nephilim, “You can start with that.” He said and grabbed a towel, wiping his fingers of any excess. “I’m going to set the table.”</p><p>You thanked him for the help and watched the man leave as well.</p><p>Now left with Jack, you taught the boy everything you knew about gingerbread. As the day was pleasantly quiet on the hunting front, you both spent the majority of the time baking and getting the occasional helping hand from one of the brothers or Jack. Castiel had appeared briefly to help but he confused salt with sugar and received a temporary ban.</p><p>When night came around, gingerbread was successfully baked and you were exhausted. Thankfully, there were no hunting drama about hormonal teenagers summoning the Krampus which meant that you could finally rest.</p><p>After bidding everyone a goodnight, and warning Dean of the repercussions if he tried to steal a cookie early, you climbed into your bed and were swept away in a peaceful dreamless sleep.</p><p>
  <i>He-he-he...</i>
</p><p>A giggle came from right beside your ear. You swat out of instinct and sat up in a daze. The room was dark and you thought your mind was playing tricks but then you made out a small movement across the floor - it looked... red?</p><p>Now on high alert, you grabbed your gun from beneath your pillow and jumped out of the covers. You walked silently across the room and flicked on the lights, pointing your gun at an empty floor.</p><p>Weird.</p><p>Then you heard the giggle from the hallway and you spun around to wrench the door open only to find nothing. Rubbing your eyes, you let out a sigh until you heard quick receding footsteps and a shout.</p><p>“<i>Sammy!</i>”</p><p>You bolted for Room 11, almost at the door, when you skid to a halt. Standing just outside Dean’s room was the elf doll that Jack had brought home - it was holding a kitchen knife.</p><p>Hell. No.</p><p>You raised your gun and fired into the dolls chest sending the scent of burnt cotton into the air. Instead of dropping to the ground, the doll turned to you and vanished in a wisp of smoke.</p><p>Unfortunately, it wasn’t over. You felt a weight on your shoulder and Dean emerged from his room just in time to see the elf raise its blade. The older Winchester pulled out his own gun and took a shot, effectively disarming the elf as the weapon clanged on the floor.</p><p>You jumped and reached back to pull it off - but it wouldn’t budge. This was like dropping into a nightmare. And just when it seemed like it couldn’t get worse, you felt a bite at your neck.</p><p>“Get it off!” You screamed, flailing around the corridor as panic actually set in.</p><p>Suddenly, a grey sweatshirt came into view. “Okay, okay - hold on!” Sam instructed. You could tell he was trying to help but when he yanked at the doll, the pain in your neck increased and you struggled against the tall man.</p><p>Sam huffed, a little frustrated with how much you were moving which made his task more difficult.</p><p>“Damn it, Y/n - hold still for Sam.” Dean told you tensely.</p><p>And you stopped moving - you stopped only to give the blonde-haired man a scathing glare and a piece of your mind.</p><p>“Don’t make me shoot you - ow!”</p><p>“Sorry!” Sam apologised. “I need an angel blade.”</p><p>Dean whipped around to fetch the one from his room when he saw Jack jogging over after being woken up from the commotion.</p><p>“Kid, angel blade - now!”</p><p>The nephilim’s eyes glowed and, instantly, Sam’s hand wielded the angelic weapon. The man was hoping to cut the thing off but one touch of the silver and the elf unlatched itself, springing back.</p><p>You gasped in relief, leaning against the wall as you clutched your neck, noticing a few spots of blood. Dean and Jack rushed over to your side hurtling questions to ask if you were okay.</p><p>“Do you feel any odd... sensations?”</p><p>You rolled your eyes at Dean. “I was bitten by a Christmas demon - not a radioactive spider.”</p><p>Dean made a quick comment about how you could never be too sure but was interrupted when when Sam called out for the three of you.</p><p>“Guys?”</p><p>Looking over at where he stood, you noticed that his eyes were fixed on the elf who had gotten to its feet and was walking in the direction of the fallen knife.</p><p>Dean pointed at the doll, “We should run.”</p><p>Without a second thought, the four of you bolted through the hallway into the furthest room you could find - a high pitched giggle nipping at your heels.</p><p>“In here!” Sam ushered everyone into a storage facility. Once the lock was clicked, you all let out a collective sigh.</p><p>You pressed your hand against the wound and found that the blood had mostly dried up. “What the hell was that?”</p><p>“A seriously pissed elf.” Dean said instantly. “Scared the crap out of me when it blew my door open.”</p><p>You blinked at him as something awful dawned on you. “It <i>blew</i> your door open?”</p><p>“That’s what I said. There were three knocks and then bam!”</p><p>You turned towards the door of the room and quietly walked closer. You pressed your ear against the dark wood and waited.</p><p>“Why didn’t it go inside?” Jack wondered and the Winchester shrugged, not sure how to answer.</p><p>Then his eyes widened.</p><p>“I spilled holy oil on the floor when I knocked the bottle over.”</p><p>
  <b>Knock, knock... Knock.</b>
</p><p>Dean was at your side instantly helping you brace the door as it rattled, the elf trying to gain access. Jack paced nervously and Sam pulled out his phone as he attempted to do some quick research in the chaos.</p><p>You glanced up at the hinges and saw them loosen slowly. “Cursed object?” You guessed.</p><p>Sam gnawed at his lip as he thought, “Maybe but it hasn’t done anything curse-y.”</p><p>“It bit me!” You snapped.</p><p>Dean pushed harder while frowning at your argument. “Y/n, you didn’t let any of us eat your cookies - I’d bite you.”</p><p>“It’s not a cursed object...” Sam realised as he scrolled through his phone quickly. Dean slammed his shoulder against the door with a grunt and a shot a scowl in his brothers direction.</p><p>“Did you see that thing with the knife? It’s cursed!”</p><p>“No - Dean, I think it’s been possessed by the - well, the literal Spirit of Christmas.”</p><p>You frowned at the man and tilted your head. “Are you saying Santa bit me?”</p><p>Sam looked up from his device at your admission and exhaled at the foolish answer, not surprised that you had given it. He then looked over at Jack, the young boy had been the one to bring the elf into the bunker with innocent intentions.</p><p>“Jack, when the woman gave you the elf, did you walk under any evergreen?”</p><p>With furrowed brows, Jack thought hard as he recalled his steps that morning in the small town.</p><p>“I had just picked up the pie and left the store when the sweet old lady gifted it to me. Then I crossed the street to meet with you at the car.”</p><p>It sounded simple enough until you remembered a small detail from when you ventured the same road several weeks ago. “The lampposts have fresh evergreen leaves hanging between them. You would have crossed beneath it to get to Sam.”</p><p>“That’s probably what set the spirit off.” Sam nodded while you helped his brother brace the door. “Okay - there’s an ancient fable here that says ‘without a sacrifice, the spirit comes down, until presented with a stem of green from the town’ - a stem of green?”</p><p>“Like a branch from the tree we have downstairs?” You asked, feet almost sliding out from under you as the spirit slammed against the only thing keeping it out.</p><p>“Son of a bitch.” Dean cursed at the tiny toy. “You just had to convince us to celebrate the holidays!”</p><p>There was a scowl on your face the moment his tone hit your ears. Turning to the man, you slapped his shoulder.</p><p>“How do we know that this isn’t because of your ‘grinchy’ behaviour? Honestly, I’d set a psycho-Christmas spirit on your ass too.”</p><p>“Believe me Y/n I haven’t started being-“</p><p>“Guys?” Sam’s call drew your attention and that’s when you and Dean realised that it had gone quiet. Leaning forward you pressed an ear to the door and listened to what seemed like little footsteps running off.</p><p>The spirit appeared to have moved on to another part of the bunker and you weren’t sure if that was comforting or more alarming. You and Dean stepped away from the door with a small sigh of relief.</p><p>Now, you needed a plan to kill the spirit and quick.</p><p>All heads worked together to form a rough sketch of how to tackle the issue before unlocking the door and creeping out of the room. With minimal noise, you all managed to get to a hallway opening that allowed you see a top view of the crows nest and a part of the library where the tree was - and the damn elf.</p><p>It was sitting there on the edge of the table with its rosy cheeks, blue eyes, and uncomfortable smile.</p><p>Oh, how you hated that thing.</p><p>There was a nudge to your right, pulling you from your thoughts and you saw that Dean and Sam had disappeared to lay their plan in motion which left you with the nephilim. Nodding at the boy, you stayed quiet before retracing your steps and headed down the hall towards Dean’s room. Thankfully, it was only two corridor turns away.</p><p>Turning the handle, you quickly entered and spotted the weapon that was needed hanging on the wall above his desk. You grabbed it, knocking a few pens over in the process, and bolted out. As you neared Jack, you heard a commotion downstairs which could only be Dean and Sam attempting to distract the spirit and you sped up.</p><p>Sliding to a stop, Jack presented you with the sharp-edge of a branch that he managed to snap off while the elf was occupied. You took it from his hand and stealthily moved down the stairs, staying out of sight. You reached the tree and loaded the branch into the crossbow as you heard a body fly against the wall, hitting the opposing bookshelf, and a seperate grunt that landed on the floor by the foot of the tree.</p><p>Taking in a deep breath - it was now or never.</p><p>You whipped around the side of the tree, spotted the little red holiday-demon pinning Dean to the floor and fired the evergreen. The branch sank itself into the elf’s soft body and flung it away from the Winchester who gasped for air. Sam got to his feet, rolling out his aching shoulder and walked over to where the Christmas entity laid still.</p><p>You, Dean and Jack did the same, still a little jumpy in case the thing attacked.</p><p>“Is it over?” Jack asked curiously.</p><p>Suddenly, the spirit shook the walls for a few seconds before combusting into a tall white cloud that dropped small snowflakes.</p><p>Talk about dramatic.</p><p>“Yeah - it’s over.” Sam sighed.</p><p>The door to the bunker screeched open, reminding you to oil the hinges later, and Castiel walked in with eyes fixed on the boxes in his hands. He didn’t notice the messed state of the bunker until he approached the four of you in the library, disheveled and breathless.</p><p>“What happened in here?” He frowned, blue eyes darting about for the danger. Jack smiled at his fatherly-figure. “We were attacked by a holiday spirit but it’s just a pile of snow now.”</p><p>Castiel was thoroughly confused at how this chaos transpired and opened his mouth when you caught his inquiry.</p><p>“It’s a long story.” You said quickly and diverted the attention to the item in his hands. “What’s that?”</p><p>The angel would get himself the details a little bit later and entertained your question. He moved forward and set the first box on the table before opening the second and a beautiful gold light sprang forth. Reaching in, Castiel gingerly picked up the contents and revealed a small glowing ball.</p><p>“I believe you said that you wanted a star on the top.”</p><p>You couldn’t believe what you were seeing and Dean playfully bumped into your shoulder.</p><p>“Happy holidays, Y/n.”</p><p>Looking to your side, you saw Sam and Dean smiling back at you - <i>they knew</i>.</p><p>There weren’t enough words to describe what it was you were feeling in that moment but it was strong. Forget the trees and presents, Team Free Will 2.0 was your forever gift.</p><p>Castiel handed the glowing star to the nephilim and stepped back beside you, Dean and Sam - the four of you watching as Jack reached up to placed it on the top where it hovered silently, emitting its warm light.</p><p>It was perfect.</p><p>“That reminds me... I found this on my way back.” Castiel moved over and picked up the second box and presenting it to everyone in the room. In his hands, and sitting neatly inside, was a little santa-hat wearing elf with his smile.</p><p>“I believe that you put them on the shelf.”</p><p>You swallowed nervously and glanced over at the brothers and Jack.</p><p>Sam caught your look and nodded.</p><p>“Yeah - I’ll get the holy oil.”</p>
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